The Journal of Insights Through Reflections On Nature

Archive for the 'Announcements' Category

It emerges from apparently nowhere and appears before our eyes basking in the light of the sun and guiding us on our journey through time. We stand under it on this evening in submission and hearing the call to return to the Ancient House, where so many have returned over the millenia. For those able, the journey of a lifetime begins and will culminate cleansed and given the chance to start anew, freed from the darkness of the self and allowed to enter into the Light of the Divine.

Safe travels and Godspeed, Oh Guests of the Compassionate. Do not forget us in your prayers. May your sacrifice be accepted.

For those of us who stay behind, get busy; for the best ten nights of the year start now.

Last night we ventured out in search of the new crescent moon, not just my team and I, but countless number of Muslims all over the world. There was not a single verifiable positive naked eye sighting. Yesterday was the 29th day of Shabaan. Today it was the 30th and final day of Shabaan with no other option than to start Ramadan tomorrow.

While many people devised an abstract construct to signify the start of the months in the Islamic Lunar calendar, nothing can be as simple and beautiful as going out to search for the new crescent moon. The sight of the new moon has significant spiritual value for the heart. By its vision it ingrains in the heart a firm certainty that serves as the foundation for actions that make up the worship of the One who created us. Through that certainty our hearts find ease, calm and peace and dispells difficulty, angst and chaos.

The need to go out once again to search for the moon on the 30th day is redundant, but to help those who still might question whether they should have fasted today or not and did not go out to settle their own hearts, I hope this photo will settle it.

Ramadan 1435

Ramadan is a wonderful time where we are given the opportunity to look at our selves in its mirror and see our shortcomings and work towards making ourselves better. Its an exercise in self-discipline and fortitude, a time for reflection and contemplation, and a means for forgiveness and salvation. Welcome this month with open arms, grasp onto it and garner as much benefit from it as you can before it moves on.

We had a nice group come out this evening to search for the new moon of Ramadan. To our disappointment, we did not see the moon here on the west coast of North America. We are the last word In the world on Moonsighting reports and we can only say Ramadan will begin on Sunday June 29th based on the prophetic tradition of sighting the moon. Taraweh prayers will start Saturday evening after sunset, insha Allah (God willing).

(Update: The conditions this evening on the ridge of the Santa Cruz Mountains was not ideal for seeing the moon, but it was certainly beautiful.)

Encroaching Fog

This was a moving scene. A family stands watching the sun set as fog continues to enshroud everyone along the ridge. The quest to find the moon is growing. Hearts are not satisfied with abstraction but rather they long for certitude, the certitude that can only come from seeing the moon with ones own eyes. I am hopeful that the swell will continue and tradition will prevail.

Family Quest

I will be going out tomorrow evening as well to photograph it so stay tuned for that.

This evening the new crescent moon for the 8th month of the Islamic calendar, Shabaan, was sighted in San Jose, CA. This puts everything in motion and the countdown begins for the approach of the Ramadan, the month of fasting. It was first seen this evening at 8:42 pm PDT. At an azimuth of close to 274° with an altitude of about 8° above the horizon. It was very faint. Beautiful as always however and always a bringer of great hope.

Shabaan 1435 Crescent

A more detailed account of the unfolding evening light and colors is coming, stay tuned.

Like clock work the new moon for the month of Shawwal 1434 and the ushering in of Eid Al-Fitr (the Festival of Breaking Fast) began this evening at sunset. The moon as beautiful as always was set against a very festively colored sky. I am always amazed at how the moon knows how to dress for the occasion!

It was late by the time I got around to preparing this post after having our last fast-breaking dinner bidding farewell to Ramadan this year, exchanging and opening gifts with my family, I was getting pretty tired, but I wanted to leave you all with a more gift-like photo of the moon. I waited until the moon was close to setting and I created this 4 photo stitched panoramic of the moon just above the Santa Cruz mountains.

Last night was a trying one as reports of the new crescent moon were fielded. Several reports were made from the continental U.S. that at best were sketchy. Most were negative sightings. I surmise that most people celebrating Eid today will be doing so on the single report that came from Chile. To those of you celebrating today, Eid Mubarak! May God fill your Eid with joy and blessings uncountable and May God accept all your fasting, prayers, and recitations of the Quran.

For those of you waiting to complete 30 days because there was no local sighting of the moon, I commend you for patience and commitment to following the Path of the Prophet. I will post for you later this evening a photo of the local moon here in the S.F. Bay Area. Below was the sky and location of where astronomy said the moon would be. Beautiful nonetheless, the sky did not reveal the moon’s beauty.

Good evening all! Although it was not required or critical to sight the moon this evening, it has become a habit that I just cannot leave. I did not travel far to find this moon. Nor did I have to, and neither do you if you are a crescent chaser as well.

Like every other month I go out to see this tiny sliver of light in the sky, when I see it great joy fills my heart and I wear a grin from ear to ear. It is one of the most remarkable sights in all the world to me. The moon has been my monthly companion for the last 20 years and it still brings me as much awe and wonder as the first time I ever saw it.

This month the moon ushers in a blessed month of patience, vigilance, fortitude, faith, and spirituality – the month of Ramadan. It is the Muslim month of fasting in which observant Muslims abstain from food, drink and marital relations from dawn until sunset for the entirety of the month, solely out of obedience to our Loving and Merciful Creator.

So without further a due, here is the harkener of blessings upon blessings.

Just a quick note. The new crescent moon for Ramadan 1434 (2013) was not seen here on the west coast of the United States in the San Francisco Bay Area. Being that today, July 8th 2013, is the 29th day of Sha’baan, it is the critical day for looking for the moon.

In fact no positive verifiable sightings were made worldwide today. That being the case, Sha’baan will complete 30 days and Ramadan will commence on Wednesday July 10th, 2013.

Check back tomorrow if you are interested in seeing the new moon of Ramadan, which I plan on photographing tomorrow evening, God willing.

Just a quick note to announce the beginning of the eight month of the Islamic calendar, Sha’baan, has commenced this evening. We tried to view this moon from our normal sighting location atop Russian Ridge in the Santa Cruz mountains, but fog, wind and a thick marine layer had completely obscured the view from there and any hope of seeing the new crescent. We rushed back down the mountains and directly to the top level of a parking structure of a local hospital. From there we had a clear view of the horizon and we waited there until we sighted it.

Shabaan 1434

Sha’baan is known as the Month of The Prophet. In this month the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing upon him, used to fast more than in any other month outside of Ramadan. It is also a month in which there is a night where those seeking forgiveness of God will find it if they ask. It is the night of the 15th day. So seek out your good fortune in this blessed month and until next time, Peace.